Law enforcers turn law breakers

KARACHI:

Police on Tuesday arrested under training deputy superintendent of police (DSP-UT) on charges of committing armed robbery with the help of his squad, using police mobiles and weapons at a house in Orangi Town a few days ago.

DIG West Asim Qaimkhani stated that DSP Umair Bajari has been taken into custody for further investigation into the robbery at the home of sanitary ware trader Muhammad Imran.

Sindh police chief Riffat Mukhtar Raja had appointed DIG West as investigation officer to probe into the incident of over a dozen cops barging into Imran’s home on pretext of a raid only to rob the family Rs20 million cash, 80 tolas of gold, mobile phones, laptops and other valuables.

Qaimkhani further said that Bajari and SSP South Imran Qureshi have been removed from their positions. IG Sindh has ordered the initiation of a case against the police party involved in the robbery.

Moreover, a crackdown has begun for the arrest of South zone police officials involved in the illegal raids, DIG Qaimkhani said. Among the cops on most wanted list are, Constable Khurram Ali and Constable Faizan Ali. A raiding team has been formed for the arrest of private individuals named Latif and Sajjad.

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Earlier, West zone DIG submitted the inquiry report to IG Riffat, following which officers and officials of South district police have been included in the ongoing investigation. The report by DIG Qaimkhani recommends legal action against Bajari and Qureshi.

Brazen robbery

“Over a dozen suspects broke into my house on the night between Saturday and Sunday at 2:20am, claiming to be affiliated with the Police Department,” the victim, Imran, who is a wholesaler of sanitary ware, said while speaking to The Express Tribune. “They wanted to search my house because they had information about weapons in my place.”

The armed intruders gathered the family at gunpoint, threatening them to cooperate. Subsequently, they searched each room before making off with more than Rs20 million in cash, gold ornaments weighing 80 tolas, several mobile phones, laptops, and other valuables. The robbers spent nearly two and a half hours in the house, rummaging through every corner.

Imran is an authorised dealer for several companies and most retailers in Orangi Town purchase sanitary wares from him. The money looted belonged to them. He had intended to deposit the money into the companies’ accounts, but due to the weekly holiday, he was unable to do so, leading to the brazen robbery.

Imran further revealed that he and his five brothers, all married, along with their families, live in the same house. The stolen gold ornaments included those belonging to their wives and to the sister and the late mother of Imran. Imran’s sister was supposed to get married and the gold jewelry for part of his dowry.

Imran reported that the robbers also took the DVR of the CCTV camera installed in the house. They blindfolded two men from the house, identified as Amir and Shakir, took them along in a police van and dropped them near Baloch Colony Bridge in the Tipu Sultan police station limits.

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Imran said that the armed robbers had cordoned off his house. When he did not open the door, one of the robbers entered through an adjacent house, opening the main door for the others. Imran procured CCTV footage from a neighbour’s camera, revealing a double cabin vehicle, a police mobile van, a Mehran car, and two motorcycles.

Despite Imran’s timely call to Madadgar 15, police did not arrive on time. Visits to the police station yielded no results as officials claimed the SHO was not present, and action could only be taken upon his return.

IG orders inquiry

Following the news of the robbery by cops, IG Riffat ordered an inquiry. Karachi police chief AIG Kahdim Hussain Rind called Imran to his office and assured him of justice.

Subsequently, DIG West submitted the 11-page report on Tuesday, which termed the raid by the South police as robbery. The report received by Express News holds SSP South Imran Qureshi, DSP UT Umair Bajari, Shaheen Force personnel and five private persons responsible for the robbery.

SSP South and DSP were declared guilty in the robbery, the statements of SSP South, DSP Umair Bajari have been recorded in the report. The statement of the policemen involved in the illegal raid was also recorded in the report.

The report revealed that private individuals entered the businessman’s house in Orangi Town and searched the house but nothing illegal was found.

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The money found in the house was in a black bag and this money was in the possession of DSP Umair Bajari which SSP South handed over to Defence police station a day later and SSP South ordered that this money be handed over to Pirabad police station SHO.

Qaimkhani said statements of Defence SHO Shaukat Awan and Pirabad SHO Imran Khan were recorded. Awan says that this amount was Rs10.5 million was given to him and he was ordered to hand it over to West police.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2023.